Please speak to your class teacher for username and password to these online support packages.
These links provide access to sites outside of the Icknield High School domain, any content is therefore the responsibility of the site owners and not of Icknield High School.

Icknield High School

GCSE Business

GCSE Business (9-1)

Key Stage 4 Overview

This course will equip you with the understanding of the business world, which you will enter after finishing school/college/university. You will be able to make informed decisions and put forward arguments to persuade others. You will have the knowledge to help you set up a business of your own. The skills you learn such as evaluation and problem solving will be useful in a number of other subjects. Business can lead on to many qualifications and is a good stepping-stone for you in A Level subjects, especially Economics, Accountancy and of course A Level Business. You will develop life skills that enable you to become financially and commercially aware.

The course is divided into topics, each covering key concepts of business:

Business activity, including the different ways to set up a business.

Marketing, including advertising, development of products, setting the best price.

People, including how businesses get the right staff and keep them working well.

Operations, including how businesses produce the things we buy.

Finance, including how businesses get the money to set up and operate and how they make a profit.

Influences on businesses, including the environment and how many businesses are operating around the world.

Exam Board

OCR

Qualification type

GCSE

Assessment

The GCSE (9–1) in Business is a linear qualification with 100% external assessment. The GCSE (9–1) in Business consists of two examined components that are externally assessed. Each component carries an equal weighting of 50% of the GCSE (9–1) qualification. Each examination has a duration of 1 hour and 30 minutes. Each paper is worth 80 marks and is split into two sections. Section A contains multiple choice questions. This section of the component is worth 15 marks. Section B includes short, medium and extended response style questions which use stimulus material that draws on real business contexts. This section of the component is worth 65 marks.

Year 9

Autumn

Spring

Summer

Business activity

1.1 The role of business enterprise and entrepreneurship

1.2 Business planning

1.3 Business ownership

1.4 Business aims and objectives

1.5 Stakeholders in business

1.6 Business growth

Marketing

2.1 The role of marketing

2.2 Market research

2.3 Market segmentation

2.4 The marketing mix

People

3.1 The role of human resources

3.2 Organisational structures and different ways of working

3.3 Communication in business

3.4 Recruitment and selection

3.5 Motivation and retention

3.6 Training and development

3.7 Employment law

Year 10

Autumn

Spring

Summer

Operations

4.1 Production processes

4.2 Quality of goods and services

4.3 The sales process and customer service

4.4 Consumer law

4.5 Business location

4.6 Working with suppliers

Finance

5.1 The role of the finance function

5.2 Sources of finance

5.3 Revenue, costs, profit and loss

5.4 Break-even

5.5 Cash and cash flow

Influences on business

6.1 Ethical and environmental considerations

6.2 The economic climate

6.3 Globalisation

The interdependent nature of business

The interdependent nature of business operations, finance, marketing and human resources within a business context.

How these interdependencies underpin business decision-making.

The impact of risk & reward on business activity.

The use of financial information in measuring and understanding business performance and decision-making.